The Patience of a Madwoman
by dragoscilvio
Summary: When Artemis and Holly are kidnapped by Opal, they have no idea what truly lays in store through the patience of a madwoman.
1. Unexpected Circumstance

I do not own any of the characters that I choose to use in this fan fiction.

_**Prologue**_

Artemis lay on an operating table, hands and feet bound to the cold metal, head reeling as his mind slowly ventured from the thick fog set there by the sedatives running through his system. He thrashed weakly against his bonds, but quickly deduced that he was in no shape to escape. His body ached from countless injuries, ones that he had no recollection of ever receiving. Cracking open one eyelid, he winced at the bright light overhead, then gazed across the room. His vision spun, and danced, but he could still make out Holly's form also tied down on a table in the opposite corner. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to bring her into focus as a dark form bent over her unconscious frame. What he saw sent painful alarm signals shooting through his drugged brain.

Opal stood over the elf captain, taking in her sleeping face, and felt a sly smile full of malice stretch across hers. Bending over, she flicked an errant piece of hair away from the girl's brow, and gently trailed her fingers down her cheek. Insanity glowed alongside a frightening intellect within her violet gaze.

"My precious masterpiece." She crooned softly.

The Irish boy worked his mouth, his dry vocal chords trying to articulate his supreme displeasure at Opal's newest scheme. Whatever it was. But whether it was a blessing or a curse, the young genius could not speak. Artemis longed to move, to set his brain to work, and figure out an escape for himself and the fairy captain. But his muscles felt like hot wax, and he could barely twitch his little finger, much less sit up. Mentally kicking himself for his helplessness, the boy pondered how they managed to get into this situation in the first place.

"Finally awake?"

Opal's voice cut brought him back to the situation at hand, and the young genius slowly looked up at her. Keeping his face neutral, he attempted a shrug, but even that movement was forbidden to him. Coughing, he struggled to clear his throat before answering in a gravelly croak.

"Yes, though I am relatively sure that I would prefer not to be. Anything that involves you tends to leave a bad taste in my mouth."

Artemis fought back a delirious giggle at the subtle joke he made concerning the dry state of his throat. Surmising that it was an effect from the drugs put in his body, he stamped down the urge, and kept a serious, albeit unsteady, gaze on the pixie. The fairy in question merely smirked at the jab, and walked around his table, trailing her fingers along the edges. Artemis followed her movements the best he could, as she circled around to his right, he narrowed his eyes at her, suspicion and anger crackling in their depths.

"What is your purpose here?" he queried "When you seek revenge, you do not settle with merely capturing your enemies and beating them whilst they lay unconscious. That is too tame for you. What is the deeper motive that you are trying to achieve?"

Opal sighed, a sarcastic smile lighting her face, and she clapped her hands in mock admiration of his deduction.

"Clever, clever boy!" she gushed "As always, your intellect just blows me away! Indeed, beating you, and venting all my frustration on your unconscious form was fun, but as you say, it is not enough."

"What are you planning?" Artemis' voice came out a menacing whisper.

The pixie gave the boy an evil smile.

"Like I would tell you?" suddenly an alarm rang on the watch currently decorating her wrist, and the pixie perked up, her eyes dancing with glee "Oops! Time to go! See you later Artemis Fowl, and don't worry, time will reveal all."

The genius watched Opal dance out of the room, and as the door swung shut, he strained his body to cooperate with him in escaping. He could feel the effects of the sedatives dissipating, and his arms slowly gained strength. But not enough. He struggled to get his body into a sitting position, his head lolling from side to side as he conquered the dizziness and searched for some kind of tool with which he could use to attain freedom. Glancing down, he felt a flash of annoyance at the rumpled state of his suit, but he quickly shoved that emotion aside. Escape first, complain later. Twisting his hands inside the leather cuffs binding him to the table, he tried to manipulate his wrists into a position suitable for undoing the buckle. But once again, failure was his constant companion. Casting his eyes over to the captain, Artemis called out to her.

"Holly!" his voice grated "Captain Short, are you alright?"

Seeing no response even when he used her name and rank, the Irish boy continued to struggle against his bonds, mind whirling with urgency. Seeing a roll away table nearby with scalpels, he scooted down, and shoved his arm further into the cuff, fingers desperately reaching for the edge. Panting with effort, he shoved, twisted, and grasped, finally tagging one corner firm enough to make it roll towards him. As it hit his table with a clang, he closed his eyes with fatigue, and thanked all that was holy for well oiled wheels. Opening his eyes, he once again scooted himself far enough so that he could grab one of the scalpels and grip it between two fingers, then began furiously sawing away at the leather cuff.

"Not to worry Holly" he gasped "I will be free in no time, and then rescue you. Should Opal return, I at least have a weapon."

Thankful that the fairy captain was not awake to witness him not only talking to himself, but also failing miserably at his "escape plan", the boy merely sawed harder at the leather. Several minutes passed, but the genius did not pause or take a break from his work. Suddenly a loud crash echoed in the hall outside the lab, and Artemis' eyes snapped up to the door. His breath coming in short panicked gasps, he tried to cut the leather faster, his gaze never leaving the doorway.

The door kicked open, and the genius switched the knife to where he was holding it defensively. Looking down, disappointment bloomed in his chest as he saw that he had barely made a dent in the thi8ck material. Glancing back up, he watched a large black gun slowly sneak past the door, and eventually reveal that it was attached to two thick arms roughly six feet up from the floor. His heart leapt as he recognized who it was, and he cried out before the large man even came into view.

"Butler!"

The Eurasian poked his head around the metal door, and let out a long sigh of relief. Turning to look back down the hallway, he shouted to whoever stood behind him.

"I found them!"

Stowing the gun away in a holster hidden under his jacket, the man dashed to Artemis' side, unbuckling the straps. Rubbing his wrist that he had bruised in his attempt to escape, Artemis smiled weakly at his friend.

"As always old friend, your timing is impeccable. Though I was well on my way to escaping using my own capabilities."

Butler, having seen the scalpel, and noticed the scratched state of the leather cuff, merely snorted.

"Yes, you would have been free in about sixteen hours."

Artemis pouted, and quietly sulked. He did not say that he was going to escape quickly, just that he had the means to. Giving a sigh, he let gratitude wash over him at the good fortune of having such a man as Butler as his bodyguard, and meekly let him rescue his charge.

"What happened?"

"I am not altogether sure. To be perfectly honest, I only awoke from a drugged stupor little over an hour ago. I do not even have any recollection of being captured by Opal, or how I arrived here."

"So it was Opal." Butler pursed his lips in quiet contemplation "We received an alert on Foaly's computer system that an alarm had been tripped. We followed it to it's source, and eventually came here."

The words "Too Easy" ran circles around the man's mind, but whether Opal was planning something much worse than the stunt she had pulled with his principle, or she was just getting sloppy, he was going to leave to Artemis to figure out. For now, he just wanted to focus on getting the boy back to the surface.

"How long was I missing?"

Butler glanced up at the young genius' face, uncertainty causing him to hesitate with his answer.

"Little over a week." he replied somberly.

Shock saturated the boy's eyes as he processed this. Taking a deep breath, he cast a sorrowful gaze at his lap.

"I see." Biting his bottom lip, he asked quietly "How is mother?"

The Eurasian swallowed nervously.

"She has not taken your disappearance well."

"No." Artemis murmured "No, I suppose she wouldn't"

…..

"Holly? Holly, can you hear me?"

The fairy captain slowly opened her eyes, and the panicked face of the centaur came into focus. Slowly, she sat up, groaning at the stiffness in her limbs.

"What happened? Where am I?"

"You're in the Haven clinic." Foaly explained "Butler and Mulch just rescued you and the mud boy from the lab where Opal had been holding you."

"Opal?" Holly's voice came out a shocked squeak "What do you mean?"

"I mean that somehow she had taken you, and Artemis captive. According to Butler, you were still unconscious when they arrived, and the mud boy was trying to saw through a leather cuff with a scalpel."

Holly fought the smile that came from the mental picture of the boy genius trying to escape. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she turned curious eyes to her friend.

"How long were we held?"

"Little longer than a week." the centaur sighed.

Holly winced. "I'm betting that Angeline Fowl is not in a happy mood."

"You're telling me." Foaly huffed "I have had to deal with her calling almost five times a day asking whether we had found him yet. She is more persistent than a dwarf inside a giant sized refrigerator."

Holly chuckled at the analogy, then settled back into the pillows of the bed the nurses had placed her in.

"Erm… Holly?"

The elf looked up at her friend, and was shocked to see him looking sheepish, and uncomfortable. Foaly rubbed one side of his neck, and cast a hesitant glance around the room.

"Do… Did you ever… Um…"

Holly cocked her head, confusion saturating her eyes.

"Did I ever what?"

The centaur placed his head in his hands, massaging his temples.

"Oh this is awkward." He sighed.

"Foaly, just spit it out!"

"Have you ever had sex with Artemis?" He blurted.

A deep blush started from her cheeks, and went all the way to the elf's hairline. Her mouth dropped open in utter shock, and her mind reeled as she tried to come up with an answer.

"What? NO!" She spluttered "I mean, he's human! And still a kid! I have never even thought about it!"

"Oh. I was just wondering." Foaly tapped his thumbs together, and looked down in an awkward silence. "It is just, I know that you two have kissed before."

"Yeah, ONCE!" Holly shouted "And that barely even counts because I was dealing being a teenager again, and hormones, and it was a difficult situation!"

"Ok."

Holly crossed her arms, and pinned the centaur with a glare.

"What would possess you to even ask that?"

Foaly let out a forlorn sigh. Leaning forward, his grasped one of her hands, and held it tightly.

"Holly, I'm so sorry. But you're pregnant."


	2. Secrets

I do not own any of the characters that I use in this fan fiction.

_**Seven Years Later…**_

"Mum? Momma! Momma!"

Holly rolled over, groaning as the voice of her son cut into her sleep. Yawning, she stretched, then gazed with bleary eyes at the child in question.

"What is it munchkin?"

Crystal blue eyes rolled, and an exasperated sigh burst from the little mouth.

"Momma, I am seven years old. You must stop calling me such infantile nicknames!"

An amused smile quirked one side of her mouth as she sat up, and wrapped her arms around her knees.

"Oh really? You're seven? Hmmm, but I distinctly remember you being six yesterday."

"Do not even play at that." cherubic lips pouted "You know very well that today is my birthday, and your promised to take me with you to work as my present."

Love washed over the elf for her small son, leaning forward, she straightened his raven black hair with a tender finger.

"I don't think you would like it. Office work is awfully boring, do you really want to watch me organizing case files all day?"

Climbing onto the bed, the little boy sat on his knees, hands settled on her arm.

"But I want to see Foaly! He promised to show me his newest invention, and that he would let me help him in the lab!"

"Oh, I see." Holly pouted playfully "You only want to go so you can play with Foaly. I see where I rate. On second thought, maybe I should just take the day off, and catch up on my sleep."

Shocked blue eyes met playful brown ones. He knew that when his mother said catch up on her sleep, she meant the entire day. Once she even hired a babysitter, and slept for two days straight. Normally such a thing was acceptable considering her work with LEP, but she wouldn't do such a thing on his birthday, would she? Standing up on his knees, the small child began to shake her arm forcefully, his eyes pleading as moisture began to creep onto their edges.

"You can't sleep on my birthday! You promised! You said I could go to work with you, and then we would have a date just the two of us! We were going to go to the new amusement park!"

Holly began to laugh, then wrapped her son into a hug. Holding him in her arms, she gently rocked him, and snuggled her face into his hair.

"Of course I wouldn't sweetie. I was just playing."

"You know that that kind of teasing can lead to permanent psychological damage?"

"Well if teasing can cause 'permanent psychological damage'," the elf whispered "What would tickling do?"

The little body in her arms tensed, and a small smile played on his lips.

"Let's not find out."

"Oh I think we should!"

The fairy attacked the boy's stomach with one hand, the other keeping him firmly in her lap. The child bucked, and squealed, face alight with glee as giggles filled the room. Pinning him to the bed, she lifted his shirt, and blew a raspberry on his stomach. Twisting around, the boy threw a mischievous grin at his mother, then darted from the room.

"I'm getting dressed! Do not make us late!" he called over his shoulder.

Holly sat on the rumpled bedclothes, a happy smile alight on her face. Seven years ago, she could never have imagined herself as a mom, and certainly wasn't planning on becoming one. But as her pregnancy progressed, she fell in love with the little life that was growing inside her, and when her little boy was born, she named him the only name that she knew would fit. Julius. Now he was growing up, and the love she had for him when he was an infant had multiplied hundreds of times over. When he was three, she finally made the decision to ask her commander to reassign her to an office job. It wasn't nearly as exciting as the old days, but she was home at a sensible time every night, and she wanted to have as much time with her baby as possible. Thinking back, Holly couldn't remember ever regretting her decision. Every time she thought about the adventure filled days of her past, the love filled memories of watching movies on the couch, or healing his little scrapes, or holding him as he cried from a bad dream, those memories made the old days look faded, and incomplete.

With a deep sigh of contentment, Holly climbed out of bed, and rushed through her shower. Selecting one of her favorite suits, she stepped into a fashionable pair of pumps, and walked out to find her little man sitting on his favorite chair playing his game station. Cocking one hand on her hip, she swung her purse over her shoulder, and called out;

"Ready to go?"

"Yes!" Saving his progress, Julius jumped up from the console, and rushed over to his mother.

Holly felt her heart melt as he charmed her with a smile, and slipped his hand into hers. Giving it a brief squeeze, she smiled back at him, love shining in her eyes.

"Let's go big guy."

….

"Foaly!"

The centaur turned around in his swivel chair, a smile already on his face.

"Julius! How's my favorite nephew?"

"I have not called you uncle Foaly since I was four! Besides, it is biologically impossible for you to be my uncle."

A whinny of laughter burst from the fairy's lips.

"Kid, you are too much. Here, happy birthday."

The young boy took the proffered gift, and tore into it excitedly. Opening the box, his eyes lit up, and a grin stretched across his face.

"Really?"

"Yes." Foaly nodded as the child took out the expensive toy that he had begged for, but never expected to get.

Holly gazed at her friend in shock.

"Foaly, you didn't have to."

"I know." the centaur shrugged "But he is always so good natured about not asking for extravagant things, I thought he deserved a little spoiling."

"You spoil him too much." Holly pouted "No wonder he likes you better than me."

"Ha!" Foaly laughed "You mean he likes my lab, not me."

"Touché." Holly chuckled.

"You know who he reminds me of." Foaly murmured.

A sharp pang went through the elf's heart, and she turned away from her friend, pain darkening her features.

"Please don't talk about that."

"Why haven't you told him? Surely he deserves to know that he has a son?" Foaly exclaimed in hushed tones.

Holly sighed, tears dancing on the edges of her vision.

"Because he doesn't need to know!"

"After seven years?" the centaur cried "It is one thing if you had had a mysterious pregnancy, and then had a miscarriage. But the boy is growing up, and he deserves to know about his father!"

"Don't you think I know that?" Holly slumped against the wall of the lab, sorrowful eyes watching her little boy dash around the room exclaiming over the various instruments. "It was hard enough when I had to explain to him why I was putting him in home school. Even in kindergarten, the kids knew that he was different, and when he came home beaten up, I had to tell him that he was half human, and that we were not going to have a normal life. It is hard enough as it is for Julius."

"I can see your point. But what about his father? Doesn't he deserve to have the decency of being told that he has somehow fathered a child?"

"I can't!" the elf sobbed "I cannot tell my son that his father is Artemis Fowl, public enemy number one."

Reaching over, Foaly pulled the grieved fairy into a hug.

"They really ought to change that." he muttered "It isn't like Artemis stayed that way."

"I know." Holly sniffed, struggling to compose herself "I wish I knew how it had happened. But what matters is, Julius is here now, and I will protect him. From Opal, from the people who hold prejudice against him, and if I have to, from Artemis."

Foaly rubbed her back soothingly.

"What I want to know, is how did you manage to keep it a secret from Artemis all these years? I know you two still talk on the vid screen."

"I only talked to him at night after Julius was asleep. When he was an infant, and would wake up crying every four hours, I told Artemis that I was on a top secret mission deep undercover, and had to have radio silence. That continued until Julius was able to sleep through the night."

"And what does the mud boy think Opal's plan was?"

Holly shrugged.

"He has no idea. He still talks about it all these years later, trying to find the hidden motive in holding us captive. But he still has come up short of any real ideas."

"You know," Foaly said softly "If you told him about Julius, he would probably have a whole lot more to go on."

The elf laughed, shaking her head.

"And what would Opal gain in making me pregnant with Artemis' child?"

"I don't know." He said somberly "But do you really want to risk it, in case there was something?"

…..

Later that night, Holly walked alongside her son at the amusement park, well aware of the glares, and judgmental glances that they were getting. Looking down at her son, she felt anger rise up inside of her. He looked no different than everyone else! He had Artemis' black hair, and his crystal blue eyes, but he had the ears of a fairy. Height wise, he was not very tall, and he had a genius for magic. But due to Artemis' fame, at least with the adults, Julius was now living with the stigma of a half breed. He would never have a true accepted place among the People, but neither would he ever truly fit in among the Mud Men. Luckily, she had been able to keep from him the identity of his father, but she knew that that would only last so long.

Sitting down on a bench, she watched her son happily eat the caramel apple that she had bought for him. Leaning down, she pulled him into a hug, wishing for all the world that she could keep the hurts and evils away from her precious boy.

"Momma, you're squishing me." a little voice gasped "I can't breathe."

"Sorry baby!" Holly gasped. Straightening back up, she pasted a happy smile on her face "So how did you like your birthday?"

"I loved it!" Julius beamed, then quickly sobered. Looking down, his eyes were uncomfortable and hesitant "But…"

The elf stroked his head, worry etched into her face.

"What is wrong sweetie?"

"I was wondering…" the boy said quietly "Could I have one last thing for my birthday?"

Relief sped through Holly's body.

"Of course!" she laughed "Anything!"

"Um… Could I… Could you, tell me who my Dad is?"


	3. Truth

I do not own any of the characters that I use in this fan fiction…

Holly felt her heart stop as shock enveloped her now trembling frame. Eyes wide, she stared at her son, looking so innocent, asking about the last thing she wanted to talk about. His father. Without a word, she grasped his hand, and led him out of the theme park, and towards where she had parked their car. It was a quiet ride home, and when they finally made it through the door, Holly barely registered how they had even got there.

"Mum?"

Julius' voice brought her crashing back to reality, and she turned to him, face still blank with shock and hurt.

"Yeah?"

The little boy shuffled his feet nervously, eyes downcast.

"Are you mad?"

It was then that the elf noticed the tears trailing down his face, and dripping from his quivering chin. With a groan of pain, she knelt down, and gathered him into a fierce hug.

"Oh sweetie." She sobbed "Mommy could never be mad at you."

"I'm sorry." he sniffled "I didn't mean to make you sad."

"No baby, I'm the one who needs to apologize. I should have realized that you would ask." Holly leaned back, trying to give him a comforting smile through her tears. Taking the corner of her shirt, she dried his face, and then kissed his forehead. "I forget about how fast you are growing up, and I just want to keep you all to myself. It is hard when a mom realizes that her son is smarter, and more mature every day that goes by."

"If you don't want to, we don't have to talk about him." Julius murmured, placing his arms around her neck "I'm sorry that I made you cry."

The elf kissed his head, reveling in the feeling of his embrace. Leaning up, the little boy whispered softly in her ear.

"Would you tuck me in the way you used to?"

The captain looked at him in shock, and pleasure.

"I thought you said that you were to big for that?"

"Just for tonight." he said "Since it is my birthday, and that has to be psychologically straining for you as a mother."

Laughter bubbled up from Holly's throat as she carried her son to his room.

"Well thank you for your consideration."

A few hours later, the elf sat on the floor in the hall outside Julius' room, face buried in her hands. She had been sitting there since she had tucked him in, and was deep in contemplation. Remembering Foaly's words earlier that day, as well as her son's request, Holly knew that she really only had one option. Digging into her pocket, she pulled out her cell phone and slowly dialed, then waited for it to connect.

"Hello?"

"Trouble?" the elf's voice was thick with the emotion roiling inside of her "I need a favor."

…..

_**Fowl Manor, Ireland**_

Artemis stood in front of the large mirror, critical eyes inspecting his new suit. It was a gift from Giovanni Zito in Italy, and the young man had to admit, the quality was stunning. Straightening his tie, the twenty-three year old stepped out of the wardrobe, and into the room he had occupied as a child. Gazing over the various objects that his mother had not had the heart to replace, the genius felt a flood of memories sweep over his mind. Walking over to the familiar desk that he had planned so many capers, and foiled the plans of fey megalomaniacs, he absently trailed nostalgic fingers across the polished wood.

"Are you ready?"

The Irish genius' gaze snapped up to the door, and onto the face of his bodyguard. He smiled weakly, and felt a forlorn sigh escape his lips.

"Yes. I do believe I am."

The Eurasian sensed that his employer was troubled, and stepped inside quickly. Shutting the door quietly, he stared at his charge with serious, concern filled eyes.

"What is wrong Artemis? You haven't been well all day."

The young man cast his eyes downward, the urge to spill his guts on the edges of his lips, but he clenched his jaw against the action.

"What could possibly be wrong? Tonight is a special night. I will attend mother's party, and by it's end, I shall be engaged to the Grecian heiress. I could not be better."

"Liar." Butler crossed his arms, and leaned against the door "I have been watching you, and I know that you do not love her."

Artemis shrugged.

"Mother put so much effort into throwing us together, and if there is anything that I have learned in my youth, it is that our wealth, though seemingly inexhaustible, is not absolute."

"So you're marrying her for her money?"

"Don't be so condescending." the young man smirked "It isn't as if she is not marrying me for mine."

"Sorry. I just don't like the whole arranged marriage feel to this whole thing." The Eurasian rolled his eyes sarcastically "How utterly medieval of me."

Artemis laughed at the man's candor, and graced him with a grateful smile.

"Thank you old friend, I am truly grateful for your companionship."

Butler sighed, then straightened himself off the door.

"I know that as your bodyguard I must maintain a professional distance, and not voice my opinion concerning your life choices-."

"We all know how well that has worked out for you."

"But." the man continued despite his charge's sarcastic retort "I cannot agree that getting engaged to this girl purely because of your mother's investment in your relationship, and future monetary investments, is a good idea."

The young man sighed, turning compassionate eyes toward the man who had braved so many terrors at his side, he clapped a hand onto his shoulder.

"My friend, I have to marry and carry on the Fowl name, and fortune. If I wait any longer, my chances of finding a suitable mate will dwindle considerably."

"If you ask me, you already found her, you were just too chicken to pursue her."

The genius turned away, his one blue eye hardening into chipped ice.

"It was an impossible situation, and you know it."

"What?" the large man snorted "Holly wasn't 'suitable'?"

"That is not the reason, and you know it!" Artemis snapped.

"I knew from the moment you two teamed up for the first time that you were good for each other." Butler spoke quietly "And even after seven years of not seeing her face, you are still in love with her."

Pain saturated the genius' mismatched gaze, and he leaned both hands on the desktop, head bowed in barely concealed grief.

"She is one of the People, and I sincerely doubt she would ever view me as more than a friend. Not as a lover, nor as a husband. I need to grow up, and face the fact that I have human responsibilities, things that do not include fairies or magic. I need to accept the reality of being heir to the Fowl empire."

"What are Myles and Beckett, chopped liver?" The bodyguard exclaimed "For someone as intelligent as you are, you seem to have forgotten that it is your life that you are condemning to misery. If you don't want to be the heir to your family fortune, and pursue Holly, then do it. I would much rather you be happy than responsible."

"That is just the problem though, isn't it?" Artemis sighed. "I have been so obsessed with my life, and my own interests, that I completely disregarded everyone else. I used them like pawns, with no concern for their wellbeing."

"So now it is about penance?" Butler gave a low chuckle "Artemis, listen to yourself! I'm begging you, do not go downstairs, and ultimately ruin your life!"

"You know I cannot do that." The young man groaned "Mother practically put on the party invitations that it was an engagement party."

The Eurasian opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly a loud buzzing sounded from the desk, causing both pairs of eyes to glance in it's direction. Reaching over, Artemis' eyes widened as he read the text.

"What is it?"

Wordlessly, the younger man handed the phone over to his friend, and Butler read, surprise lighting his face. The message was from Holly, and simply read;

_**Meet me at our usual spot.**_

_**Have something really important **_

_**To talk to you about.**_

_**Holly**_

The man glanced over at his young charge, one eyebrow cocked in interest.

"Are you going?" He asked simply.

"I…" helplessly, Artemis looked at the door that symbolized two paths that he could take, heart pounding wildly. His breath coming in labored gasps, he swallowed nervously, then clenched his fist with resolve. Setting determined eyes on his bodyguard, the young genius answered "You bet I am."

…..

"This really is perfect, just like the old days."

Artemis rolled his eyes.

"Don't get any romantic notions old friend. I may have skipped the all important party, but that doesn't mean that I will woo the captain, and win fair lady's heart. I am here as a friend in support of another friend, that is all."

"Please." Butler scoffed "You are already excited and hoping for another adventure. I can see it in your eyes. Back then you were always conniving some plan, or making some new gadget out of fairy technology, acting like you were a European super spy. James Bond, only with magic."

"Ha!" The younger man laughed "The only difference being, SHE carried the gun."

"And still do."

The two men jumped at the sound of a feminine voice drifting from behind a tree, and slowly watched Holly materialize in front of them. Artemis felt his heart speed up as he took in the flesh and blood form of the friend whom he had not seen for almost a decade, and a blush crept across his cheeks as he noticed that her figure had somehow managed to improve during their time apart.

Clearing his throat, Artemis fought the overwhelming feeling of being a teenager all over again, and addressed the young woman.

"Holly." he croaked "How long have you been here?"

The fairy laughed.

"Just a little before James Bond with magic."

"Ah." The young man sincerely hoped that she had not heard what he had said to Butler.

The elf pointed at his face, her eyebrow quirked with amusement.

"Mirrored sunglasses? Honestly Artemis, I'm hurt."

"What? Oh!" the Irish genius fumbled with his glasses, and stowed them away in his pocket feeling quite the fool "Sorry, the last time I met you somewhere isolated, it was actually Opal, and I woke up in a lab strapped to an operating table."

At the mention of their last meeting, an awkward silence stretched out, causing Butler to cough in discomfort. Kneeling down, the large man gave the fairy a smile.

"Holly, It is so good to see you."

The captain returned the smile, and stepped into his arms for a warm hug. After a moment, she once again approached Artemis, her eyes hesitant and scared.

"I guess you are wondering why I asked you to come here."

"Yes, the thought did cross my mind." The young man teased.

"The truth is," Holly began, wringing her hands anxiously "I haven't told you, but I need your help."

"Anything you need Holly, I will gladly be of service to you."

"You see," the elf hesitated, then blurted "I have a son."

Glancing at the mud boy… or man as he was now an adult, Holly saw his face go from shock, to grief, to downright sick. Artemis felt like he had punched in the gut, and then slammed to the ground with a two by four. Head reeling, he struggled to keep his composure.

"Really?" He squeaked "How wonderful. And where exactly do I come in?"

"Well, his birthday was yesterday, and he asked for a very special present."

"Which was?" Butler prodded.

Holly sighed.

"He wanted to know the identity of his father."

"Ah." Artemis didn't like where this was going. Holly having a child was not a big deal. She was well into adulthood when they first met, and he knew that surely a woman like her would certainly have a boyfriend, or at least she would eventually. But he definitely didn't want to help her with trying to find the fairy who fathered her child. "So you basically want me to help you locate the man?"

"No." the fairy sighed, her gaze darkening with a deep sorrow "No, that isn't the problem. I already know where and who he is."

"Then why are you telling me all this?" the young genius queried.

"Because Artemis," Holly murmured, eyes downcast with fear "He's your son."


	4. Spilled Beans

I do not own any of the characters that I use in this fan fiction…

Holly had anticipated many reactions to this news. Anger, resentment, pure logical disbelief. She expected him to put on his 'I'm talking to stupid' face, and then explain why it was scientifically impossible for Julius to be his son. And who could blame him, considering that they had never had a relationship that is required for such a thing to happen. But she did not expect what he did then. Artemis laughed.

"Is this one of Foaly's jokes?" He chuckled "I can't believe that he talked you into this!"

Holly's mouth fell open in shock.

"It is not a joke!"

The laughing mouth withered to a weak smile, fear creeping into his mismatched gaze.

"Holly," he said "Be serious. That is impossible."

"Technically it is." she agreed "But the paternity test showed that he was half human, and that his father is Artemis Fowl II."

Butler cocked an eyebrow at his now speechless employer.

"There something you haven't told me?"

"No!" the young man spluttered "No there is not! Because it is impossible for me to have fathered a child!"

"How so?" the bodyguard asked softly.

"Because, we have never-" Artemis' face turned a deep shade of crimson, and he gulped down his discomfort as he struggled to finish his sentence "We have never had such… close… relations."

"So you two never had sex?"

Crimson turned purple as the genius struggled to maintain his composure. Through gritted teeth, he managed to answer his bodyguard.

"No Butler, we have never had intercourse. Nor had I ever even considered it at the time considering my age."

The large Eurasian shrugged, and amused smile at his employers discomfort on his lips.

"Well, even if you had, I terribly doubt you would have had the time."

"Can we get back to the point?" Holly groaned.

"As much as I want to, I need to ask you a question." the young man cast his eyes at the ground, then gathered his courage to meet her gaze "When did you find out you were pregnant? When was he born? And are you absolutely sure that he is mine?"

"Technically speaking, that is more than one question." Butler coughed.

Artemis pinned his friend with a glare.

"Not helping." he hissed.

As he turned back to her, the elf could almost see the gears turning as he processed the news and it's repercussions. But his trembling hands, and pale features betrayed his shock and fear of what the future held. With a look of sympathy, and understanding, Holly patiently answered his questions.

"I found out right after we were rescued from Opal's lab seven years ago, and Julius was born shortly after." she said softly "And before you ask, no I was not pregnant before we were kidnapped, nor had I had any relations with anyone before that. In answer to your third question, yes, he is definitely yours. Even without the paternity test that I mentioned earlier, it is impossible for him to be anyone else's. I'm sure you would agree if you ever meet him."

Artemis' face slowly went slack as understanding dawned on his features, flashes of memory from that fateful night seven years earlier pummeled his mind. As he remembered Opal speaking of how only time would reveal her true motive behind kidnapping them, his trembling legs finally gave out. He collapsed onto the ground, his breath coming in short panicked gasps, and one hand unconsciously went his mouth.

"After Opal's lab…" he repeated numbly "Of course, it would make sense. She had us sedated in her lab for over a week, and had access to superior technology. Such a thing would have been child's play…. Oh God…"

Holly watched Artemis' face turned a sick shade of green, and rushed to his side. Grabbing his head, she shoved it between is knees, and rubbed his hands between her own.

"Come on mud boy," she urged "Deep breaths. You don't want to throw up all over that nice suit."

"She violated me… Us!" the traumatized young man gasped.

Holly nodded her head, still worrying over the Irish boy.

"Trust me, I know" she chuckled "Imagine being told that your pregnant."

"Oh God… I'm a father…" Artemis whimpered "I don't even know how to react, or what to think."

Without a thought, Holly unconsciously pulled his head into her chest and rocked him the way she rocked Julius. The action stunned her, but the poor guy was experiencing a literal emotional and mental meltdown over the bomb she had dropped in his lap. Looking over to the side, the elf noticed that Butler had sneaked away, giving them space. Gratitude filled her over his consideration, and she returned to comforting the shocked mud man that now lay in her arms. Resting her chin on his head, she marveled at how the action seemed so natural for her. But she quickly shoved that thought aside, attributing it to the fact that her son resembled his father so much, she had grown used to holding just such a black haired head. They sat that way for several moments, Holly stroking his head, and gently rocking him.

"Holly" Artemis' voice came from the depths of her shirt "You can let go now, I have regained my composure."

"Oh! Sorry." The elf jumped back, and scooted a few feet away from him, her cheeks flushing pink. "Julius has nightmares sometimes, so I have gotten used to holding him like that."

"Ah." Artemis gazed into the distance, an embarrassed half smile on his face "He is very lucky then. What does he have nightmares about?"

Holly chuckled, and shrugged.

"Oh just what every seven year old has nightmares about. Monsters under the bed, mutated broccoli, complex mathematical theorems."

Artemis raised an eyebrow at her, his smile losing it's awkwardness.

"Any particular ones?"

"Well there was this one equation when he was five" the elf smiled warmly at the memory "Foaly gave it to him. According to the People, it was unsolvable, but Foaly solved it in college. So as a test to see if he had inherited more than just your looks, the centaur gave it to him saying that if he solved it, then he was a true genius."

Wonder replaced the fear that had once enveloped the young man's heart. Julius looked like him? Scooting closer to Holly, he leaned in, his face curious with the outcome of the story.

"Did he?" he asked softly "I mean, did he solve it?"

"It took him three days." the elf proclaimed proudly "But the two nights during that time I did not get any sleep. He kept having nightmares about solving part of it, and not have a pen or paper. So for two nights I sat up with him, and let him sit in my lap writing out his calculations. Foaly was angry with him, because it took him a full week in college to achieve the answer."

Artemis threw back his head and laughed, an unexpected surge of pride making his heart swell.

"Serves him right for testing any son of mine."

"So…" Holly spoke softly "You're ok with this?"

"How could I not be?" He answered thoughtfully "Whether I am or not, Julius exists, and is a living breathing being. The only thing I can do is be there for him, and hope that I at least succeed in being a good father."

The elf smiled gratefully, unshed tears of relief glistening in her eyes.

"Thank you Artemis."

"Well." the young man stood, slapping the dirt of his trousers "We had better find Butler. Heaven only knows where he sneaked off to."

"Sounds good to me," the fairy nodded "But before we hunt him down, do you mind quickly stopping by the shuttle I left Julius in? He was sound asleep when I left, and should still be, but I just want to check on him."

Artemis felt himself hesitating before nodding his consent. As he followed the fairy captain, he mentally kicked himself for being scared of a child. Holly tromped through the forest, her heart light with relief that she had finally faced her fears, and told Artemis. She knew that things were not going to get easier just because he was now aware of Julius' existence, and even expected a couple fights in the future due to her decision of keeping her son secret from the mud boy, but she was optimistic that they would at least find a way to work through it. Rounding a bend, she turned her sights towards the place where she had parked her shuttle, and smiled at what she saw.

"Hey mud boy." she called over her shoulder, an amused glint in her eyes. "I don't think we have to worry about finding Butler anymore."

"Oh?" Artemis panted, struggling to keep up with her lithe movements through trees "And why is that captain?"

"He found Julius."

The elf pointed an index finger towards the small meadow they had been walking to, and the young man took in a nostalgic sight. The camouflage had been turned off, and a large metal vehicle sat on the grass, two occupants sitting inside. The large man sat in the driver's seat, cards in hand, with a seven year old boy who looked like a fairy equivalent of the Fowl family sat on the other side of him. He had much more cards in his hands.

The fairy captain walked up to the shuttle, and opened the side door. Wrapping her arms around the boy, she looked over his shoulder at his cards. Artemis felt his heart stop when a face identical to his own turned around to face the elf.

"Hi momma."

"Hey sweetie." Holly placed a tender kiss on his head "Make a new friend?"

"Yeah! His name is Butler, and he is really big!" Julius exclaimed, blue eyes twinkling excitedly "I asked him if he has a mutated growth hormone."

"Julius Short!" the fairy exclaimed, ignoring the snort of laughter that exploded behind her "You do not ask such rude questions!"

The blue eyes that had been so full of awe immediately melted into hurt sapphire orbs glittering with tears.

"But momma," he said "I have never seen anyone as big as him, and I _had_ to ask!"

"Oh you had to, did you?" Holly tried to keep looking stern, but amusement began to creep into her eyes as she listened to her son explain himself.

"Yes, I HAD to!" he exclaimed exasperatedly "It was necessary for my intellectual growth. By making observations, and asking questions, I am broadening my intellectual horizon. So you see, I needed to ask him. For science."

"Yes Holly, for science."

The fairy turned around, and pinned a playful glare on the genius currently melted in laughter behind her, the turned back to Butler.

"I am so sorry Butler." She apologized, then rolled her eyes sarcastically "I have no idea where he gets it."

The Eurasian shrugged.

"That's fine." he said contentedly "I found him out here asleep, and when I decided to wait in here with him, the little guy woke up. We have been playing cards ever since."

"Yeah!" Julius cried "And I've been winning!"

"Probably because you've been cheating." Holly replied dryly.

"Yeah." Butler sighed "Does he usually cheat this badly at home?"

The elf glanced at the boy's hand, then smiled cheekily at the bodyguard.

"Oh much worse." she laughed "He is actually taking it easy on you."

Butler softly muttered "Little brat." but there was no malice in his gaze. Wonder, and a twinkle of joy shone in the depths of his eyes, Holly could honestly say she had never seen him happier. Turning around, she beckoned Artemis to her side, then placed a hand on her son's shoulder.

"Julius, I want you to meet someone."


	5. Blow Up

I do not own any of the characters that I choose to use in this fan fiction…

Artemis' heart beat wildly, and the world almost felt like it was going to tilt. Of a truth, he had certainly not come tonight expecting anything close to what was taking place. The whole idea seemed ludicrous, and his intellect lectured him that Opal wouldn't impregnate Holly with his child if she did not have a reason, but somehow his inner scientist was fading away as he came closer to this strange boy. With each step he took, doubts and fears swirled in his mind. Why would Holly keep Julius a secret from him? Did Holly not trust him as much as she always said she did? Was that all a lie? Not only that, but surely as the boy's sire, he at least deserved the decency of the knowledge that the child even existed. Anger, and distrust threatened to take hold as he fought the urge to yell at Holly, venting his frustration over being kept in the dark, but the shock of black hair in front of him helped the genius keep his cool. For now anyway.

Stepping into the light emanating from the cockpit, Artemis knelt down till he was eye level with the child, curiosity mixed with awe shifted in his eyes.

"Hello Julius." he said softly "Do you know who I am?"

"Yes." the boy answered "You are the man momma talks to at night."

The Irish genius heard a sharp intake of breath beside him, and quickly surmised that apparently those conversations were meant to be a secret from the boy. Yet another piece of evidence that he had been kept from his own son in every way. Struggling to keep his face neutral, Artemis continued.

"Yes, that's right." the young man gave his son a weak attempt at a smile "We often talk at night, though I have never had the pleasure of meeting you."

Holly heard the accusation in those words, and wilted inside. She knew that she had made a mistake in keeping Julius from the mud boy, and she promised herself to apologize for it later. Her son continued with the conversation, innocently unaware of the inner turmoil his mother was experiencing.

"I'm supposed to be asleep." he admitted "But one time I was thirsty, and had to get a drink of water. I heard momma laughing, and snuck over to her door, and listened to who she was talking to."

"So…" Artemis' voice was hesitant "Do you know anything about me? Seen a picture? Heard stories?"

"No."

The answer rent the Irish genius' heart in two, and he could actually feel tears well up behind his eyes. Emotion overrode his logical cool, and he felt himself ask in a broken voice;

"Not even once?"

"Not from momma." the boy shifted uncomfortably, looking up at his mom, then back to the grieved man in front of him "I found one hidden in her drawer once."

"What?" Holly exclaimed, eyes wide at the news "When?"

"Captain…" Artemis' voice was tinged with cold, and had a tang of bitterness in it "Let the boy speak without interrogating him, surely he is entitled to looking for information concerning his father. Information that apparently had been denied him."

The fairy captain shrank back at the anger the last sentence possessed, and meekly allowed them to continue talking. Turning back to the boy, the genius prodded him to continue.

"It was a few months ago." The boy admitted softly "I was looking for a pen, and when I looked in the drawer of the table next to momma's bed, I found a picture. I liked it a lot because it showed the sky, and I have never seen that before."

"What else was in the picture?"

"You," Julius pointed "And him." This time to Butler. "Momma was there, and so was some of her friends that I know. You were all standing in front of a big house."

Artemis nodded, remembering that day well.

"What did you do after that?"

"I ran the picture through the scanner and searched for you."

Shock and pride coursed through the young man.

"You can do that?"

"Of course," the boy huffed "I'm not stupid."

Butler gave a low chuckle.

"Oh yeah," he said "The kid is definitely yours."

Artemis waved the man away, his attention purely on the miracle in front of him.

"What did you find?"

"Files."

"Julius Root!" Holly cried, unable to contain herself "You did not hack the LEP database?"

Artemis gritted his teeth, then set a cold stare on the woman he had been hurt so badly by.

"Holly," he whispered harshly "Whether he did, or didn't is currently irrelevant. So please, will you stop interrupting, and let me talk to my son?"

The fairy captain opened her to mouth, an argument on her lips, but was silenced by the stern glare of the large man in front of her. Closing her mouth, she stepped away, and leaned against the shuttle. Ears pricked, and listening to every word. Artemis turned back to his son, the cold anger replaced by tenderness.

"I'm sorry." he said gently "Please, tell me what happened next."

"I did hack LEP." the child confessed miserably "It wasn't hard, and you looked like me, so I wanted to know."

"That's fine." the young man smiled "I'm not angry with you. So what did you find in your files?"

Julius cast his eyes to the ground in ashamed silence, his bottom lip quivered. Artemis placed a comforting hand on the boy's knee, looking deeply into his son's eyes, he spoke soothingly.

"Don't worry." he whispered "I promise not to get mad, or yell at you."

Taking a deep breath, never breaking eye contact, the boy answered.

"The files said that you were a criminal, and that you are public enemy number one."

Butler gave a frustrated sigh.

"They really ought to change that, it isn't like you stayed that way."

Artemis smiled at the shared sentiment, then turned back to the child.

"And what do you think?"

Julius contemplated this for a moment, then proudly declared;

"I don't believe them."

Unexplainable relief shot through the younger man's system, a grateful smile lit his features.

"You don't?" he asked "And why is that?"

"Because you make momma laugh." the boy stated, shrugging his shoulders as if he was answering a dumb question "And I always know when she has talked to you because she is always really happy in the morning. So I don't think that you are bad."

Unconsciously, Artemis cupped the boy's face with his hand, and felt something begin to bloom in his heart for the child. Was it gratitude? Pride for his brilliant mind? Or was it something deeper? Whatever the feeling was, it swelled his heart, and made his throat thick with emotion.

"Thank you Julius." the young man whispered.

Standing up, Artemis dusted off his knees, then turned to Holly.

"You can stay with me in my apartment in Dublin." he declared.

"Oh." hesitation was etched across the fairy's face "But we weren't planning on staying."

"I'm sorry, but that wasn't a suggestion." the man said coldly "Think me a monster, I don't care, but at the very least give me the respect of allowing me to spend time with my son."

"But we didn't pack anything!" The elf squeaked.

"Please." Artemis scoffed "Anything you need, I can easily buy, surely you remember that money isn't a problem for me?"

Holly opened her mouth to protest, but a small hand on her leg stopped her. Looking down, she gazed into the pleading eyes of Julius.

"Please momma?" he begged softly "I want to go."

"But…" her argument was defeated by the look in her little boy's eyes, and slowly she wilted, then gave in "Fine. We can stay."

Excitement, and delight lit the boy's face, and he dashed back to Artemis, a grin on his lips.

"I get to stay!"

A tender smile, tinged with sorrow over what had been denied him, slowly appeared on the young man's face. Kneeling down, he ruffled the child's hair, and said softly;

"That's wonderful."

…..

Just a few hours later, the weary group walked through the door of Artemis' apartment, Julius lay sound asleep on Butler's shoulder. The fairy captain made a move to relieve the Eurasian of his burden, the large man waved her away, and merely sat down in a chair in the living room, a content smile on his face. Holly found herself smiling at the tender scene.

"For an oversized gorilla," she whispered to Artemis "Than man is such a sap."

Her smile quickly disappeared though when she saw the serious expression on Artemis' face. Her heart flipped with fear as she remembered how badly he had been hurt when he found out that she had not even showed Julius a picture. The young man gazed down on her then, running a frustrated hand through his hair, he sighed.

"We need to talk." he said, his voice as brisk as a fall breeze "Please follow me."

As they walked down the hall, Artemis called softly over his shoulder to Butler.

"Would you please tuck the boy in old friend? I need to have a serious discussion with Holly."

The man nodded, and watched his employer disappear from sight, sympathy in his eyes. Holly gave one last look at her son, then followed the mud man down the hallway towards his room, her heart beat loudly in fear of the argument that was surely to come. Stepping inside the doorway, she watched Artemis pick up a remote. Pressing a button, the fireplace sprang to life illuminating the room, and the fairy captain drew close to the comforting flames. Glancing across the room, her cheeks blushed crimson when she noticed that Artemis had begun to takeoff his shirt.

"What are you doing?" she stammered as she turned around.

"What does it look like?" The Irish genius retorted "I am getting out of the suit that I may very well have ruined by my field trip in the woods."

Holly felt a heavy piece of material hit her back with a thump, and she turned to see a long silk night shirt. Artemis gestured his head at the fabric, his voice taking on a slightly apologetic tone.

"I know it will probably be too big, but I will make sure that you get clothes tomorrow morning."

"Thanks." the elf said softly, her fingers caressing the smooth material.

"You may both use the guest bedrooms, or share one, whichever you prefer." Artemis continued "Stay as long as you wish."

"You mean as long as YOU wish."

The mud man tensed, his eyes turning to ice.

"I would like you to stay at least a week so that I may have adequate time with Julius, after that you may depart if my presence disgusts you so much."

"It has never disgusted me." Holly replied.

"Ha!" Artemis let out an embittered laugh "You could have fooled me. What with waiting seven years to tell me the most important news of my life, not even including me in his by giving basic information, and then expecting me to just accept this as if I am some brainless fool. With everything that has happened, everything that we have been through, why did you think that you needed to keep him a secret? Why did you never tell me?"

Holly turned, anger in her eyes at the young man who had finished dressing, and now stood on the other side of the room addressing the wall.

"I was just trying to protect him!"

"I know you're not a genius Holly, but I've always considered you quite clever in your own right. Apparently I was wrong." Artemis' voice had risen in volume, until it reached the point that he was full blown yelling "Because I didn't realize how much of an idiot you are! Do you even realize what you've DONE? DID YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH DANGER YOU PUT HIM IN BY HIDING THIS FROM ME? Opal MADE HIM Holly! And she did it for a reason! She's IS going to COME BACK for him! Almost 8 years Holly! 8 years that I could have been trying to figure out what she wants with him!"

Holly's eyes widened and she took a step back in shock, she had seen the mud boy get angry, but she had never seen him yell like this. Especially not at her.

"She could have come after him at any time Holly! And I wouldn't have known WHAT TO LOOK FOR! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO PROTECT HIM WHEN I DON'T EVEN KNOW HE EXISTS?"

"Artemis I-"

Artemis cut her off. "You what Holly? What? Careless? Yes, I already noted that." Artemis sneered at her. "Tell me something. If Opal had taken him before now, would you have told me THEN? Or would you have continued lying to me about the fact THAT I HAVE A SON? If he hadn't asked about me, would you have EVER told me?"

Holly quivered under the force of his glare. "Artemis, I'm sor-"

"Don't! Don't you DARE say you're sorry! You're not sorry about hiding this. The only thing that you're sorry about is the fact you actually have to tell people the TRUTH. That you have to tell ME the truth! How many times did you hold it over my head about how I lied for selfish reasons? How many times did you patronize, and criticize me for my allegedly bad choices? Because quite frankly, THIS ONE TAKES THE CAKE!"

By this point Artemis had strode in front of her, face taut with anger. The fairy captain felt her chest constrict as she watched his fury and resentment grow.

"I did it because I love him, because I want to protect my son!" she sobbed.

"OUR son Holly! OUR son! Or are you going to start lying to YOURSELF about that fact now?"

Holly could only stare at him in shock. After glaring at her for another minute, Artemis turned and stomped away. Not out of the room, just to the other side. Away from her. The fairy captain could only watch, mouth hanging slightly open, as he paced back and forth, running his hands through his hair, pulling on it. She winced when he punched the wall, only to pull his hand back, swearing loudly. Finally his anger subsided, only to be replaced by a deep fatigue, and a palpable sorrow. Silently he stood facing the wall, one hand braced against it, his head bowed in grief.

"It's late," he finally sighed "This can wait till morning after I have had a chance to wrap my head around this whole ordeal. The guest room is the second door on the left, Butler's room is the first next to mine, Julius will be safe here. Good night."

Holly stammered good night, then fled the room, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. Trembling hands turned the knob, and walked into the room designated for her use. Butler was already inside, and seated on the bed watching Julius as he slept. Sitting next to the man, the elf let the tears fall.

"Butler…" She sobbed "I don't know what to do."

Holly looked up at Butler, and flinched a bit when she saw the look on his face. She had seen him look at her angrily before, but she never thought that he would ever look at her with such disappointment. Looking down, the usually compassionate man's features was clouded with pain.

"I'm sorry Holly," he whispered huskily "But I cannot agree with you in this. Artemis has done some bad things. He has lied, he has manipulated others, and he has a criminal record. But all that combined doesn't even compare to the thing you did to him tonight."

Shock overwhelmed her senses as she realized that Butler, who was almost always her staunchest ally and sympathetic ear, was scolding her for her actions.

"But you have to understand!" she pleaded "I only wanted to protect him!"

"Why did you feel it necessary to protect him from Artemis?" The man asked, grief raw his eyes "Do you have so little respect, and love for the man who repeatedly put his life on the line for the fairy people? I knew that you had a dislike for humans Holly, but I never would have guessed that you hated us to the point of betrayal."

Without another word, Butler walked silently out of the room, leaving Holly to cry alone in the dark.


	6. The Next Morning

I do not own the any characters used in this fan fiction…

Author's note: Special thanks to R U Doragon, your ideas for the argument were sublime!

Holly awoke to the sound of laughter, and clinking plates. Sitting up, she wiped her eyes, gritty from crying herself to sleep. Slowly, the fairy captain scooted off the bed, and stood on unsteady feet. Sneaking across the plush carpet, she snuck out the door, and down the hall towards the sounds in the kitchen. Peeking around the corner, her eyes took in a lively scene. Butler stood at the stove, cooking a large breakfast of fried hibachi vegetables, and tofu. On the other side of the stove lay eggs, bacon, and sausage, no doubt his meal. Julius sat on a stool at the breakfast island, bouncing with excitement.

"Is it ready?" He asked.

"Nooope," Butler replied, an amused look on his face "Not yet."

The small child snickered under his breath, a mischievous smile lighting up his face.

"How about now?"

"Nope."

"Now?" He giggled.

"Uh-uh." The large man shook his head, finally cracking a grin at the boy's antics.

"Um… What about now?"

Suddenly he turned around, a serious look often used to scare his opponents darkening his face. "Young man!" he thundered, voice practically shaking the floorboards. Julius squeaked, and hunkered down on his stool, but his eyes showed no fear. The bodyguard strode towards the boy, his features still frightening and unwelcoming. "You asked for it, and now you're going to get it!"

Holly felt her breath catch in her throat. She knew that Julius could be persistent in his jokes, but surely he hadn't gone far enough to anger the man, right? Julius trembled in his stool, his face delighted to be afraid, and a smile ready on his lips.

"Yeah?" he quavered.

"Indeed." The giant nodded "You are going to get…!"

A suspenseful second passed, then finally the man set a steaming plate of veggies in front of the child.

"… Your breakfast." he finished, eyes twinkling with mischief.

Julius burst into a round of insuppressible laughter, and the room was filled with his joyous giggles as he clapped and bounced with delight. Butler stood there, watching him eat, his gaze tender and nostalgic. Turning around he attended back to his food on the stove with measured movements that spoke of years of experience in cooking this particular meal. The scent of hibachi grilled squash tickled Holly's nose, and caused her stomach to rumble loudly.

"Breakfast is ready if you are hungry, you don't have to hide watching us eat."

The fairy captain blushed crimson as Butler revealed her hiding place, then tentatively stepped out of the hallway into the kitchen. Giving a meek wave, she avoided the large man's eyes, and quickly went to her son's side. Wrapping her arms around the small boy, she kissed his sleek black hair, rocked him gently.

"Morning sweet pea." she murmured.

"Mooo-om!" Julius groaned "What have I told you about calling me such infantile names?"

Holly rolled her eyes.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I had forgotten that you're far too old for me to be your mom anymore."

Out of the corner of her eye, the fairy saw Butler hide a smile behind a forkful of scrambled eggs. Her heart gave a painful twist as she remembered the bitter words from the night before. The hurt expressions, disappointed looks, and worst of all, Butler telling her that she had betrayed their trust. But he still took time to play with Julius, to gaze at him with tenderness and love. Emotions that had been denied her. Why couldn't they understand that she was just trying to protect her son? That the decisions she had made were for the sole purpose of keeping him from harm, in no way had she betrayed anybody, if anything she had made things easier for everyone by keeping them out of his life. The unfairness of the situation made her want to cry.

Glancing up, Holly cleared her throat, speaking softly she addressed the large man cooking at the stove.

"Where is the mud… um… Artemis?"

"He is attending a meeting." Butler replied brusquely "As you well know, he started his own electronics company three years back in the effort to make his own fortune legitimately. Naturally, due to his considerable intelligence, the company is doing extremely well. Everything you see around you are the fruits of Artemis' labor."

An unexplainable swell of emotion stung Holly's heart. She couldn't quite classify it, but she felt as if she had won an argument, or proved a point. With a self satisfied smirk, she laughed bitterly.

"Oh." she spat "So all that talk last night about wanting to get to know his son was just a farce? The very next day he goes to work leaving us to be babysat by his faithful bodyguard? How's that for commitment?"

Her sarcastic smile withered immediately at the glare Butler directed at her, a look loaded with venom and disgust. His eyes narrowed at the elf, hand gripping the wooden cooking spoon till it creaked, but his reply was surprisingly smooth and good natured.

"The meeting this morning was essential for the company. Not even the owner, and founder has the power to skip out. However, he told me this morning that as soon as the meeting is dismissed, he will inform his secretary that he is taking the rest of the week off. He hopes to spend his birthday with the boy."

A jolt shook Holly to her core, she had forgotten that Julius and Artemis' birthdays were a scant four days apart. If the mud boy had his way, they would still be gracing his presence on that particular occasion. Her eyes wide with panic, and heart racing, the fairy could only reply with a strangled "Oh…" before digging into her breakfast. Julius watched his mother with curious eyes before turning back to the gentle giant he had recently become attached to.

"Is Artemis really my dad?"

"I certainly think so." the man replied "You look quite a bit like him, and have much of his intellect."

"Do… Do you want me to be his son?"

Holly's eyes snapped to her son, mouth agape with shock.

"Julius! Why would you ask him that?"

"Because I want to know!"

Determined blue eyes, so much like his father's, burrowed into Holly causing her to wilt slightly away from him. Why did she feel so guilty, she had done nothing wrong! Biting her bottom lip, she cast her gaze back to the grilled vegetables on her plate, and awaited Butler's reply. Walking around the island, the giant picked up the child, and embraced him in a gentle hug. Moisture gathered in the corners of his eyes, and he squeezed the boy ever closer, a tender smile gracing his face. Placing him back on his stool, the Eurasian knelt, one hand on Julius' head.

"Nothing would make me more proud than to know that Artemis has someone like you for a son."

The elf listened to his answer, and felt her heart twinge with regret at the many memories her gentle giant missed out on with the boy. But the question remained, did Artemis feel the same way?

…..

The Irish genius drove down the road, his brow furrowed as he lay deep in thought concerning recent events, and what possibilities the future held. Turning on the radio, the young man was amused to hear that Butler had the country station set on the car's radio once again. Since he had started his company some years earlier, and came into his own fortune, Butler had felt it necessary to move in with him, and maintain his post as bodyguard. The man drove his employer to work every day, except for when Artemis wanted to drive himself, and often forgot to change the radio back to the Irish man's favorite classical station. Today however, he was in a whimsical mood, and kept the radio on country.

As he drove, he listened, and laughed at the absurdity of some of the songs, nodded his head at the solid messages some sang of, and tapped his fingers on the wheel to the more upbeat ones. Suddenly, a song by Rodney Atkins came on that told the story of a father and his son. Artemis froze, reaching over, he turned it up, and listened carefully to the chorus.

_**I've been watchin' you Dad, ain't that cool?**_

_**I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you,**_

_**And eat all my food, and grow as tall as you are.**_

_**We got cowboy boots, and camo pants**_

_**Yeah, we're just alike, hey, ain't we Dad?**_

_**I want to do everything you do; So I've been watching you**_

As the song continued, terror gripped his heart, and the young man was forced to pull over. Thankful that the windows of his car were tinted almost black, he finally allowed himself the time needed to truly process what had happened in the past twenty-four hours. Tears flowed as the grief from Holly's betrayal slashed a deep gash into his heart, fear of what the future held reduced him to a shivering mass, and he groaned as he began to understand just what Opal had done to the two of them. What her true motive was, he had no idea, but the situation as it was, was painful enough. Once again the lyrics to the song flitted through his mind, and the young man buried his face in his hands, sobbing quietly. What did he know about being a father? What right did he have to be Julius' father? The little bit he knew about families lay in the raising given to him by Artemis Senior, and that was cold at best. If he were to act like his own father, would Julius end up like he did? The very idea paralyzed him with fear. The last thing he wanted in the entire world, both on the surface and beneath, was for his son to follow in his father's footsteps and become a criminal.

Suddenly, The Siren's Song rang on his phone, alerting him that his mother was calling. His face flushed bright red at the weakness of being reduced to a blubbering child at mere adversity, he quickly cleared his throat, and wiped his eyes. Picking up his mobile, he tried to answer as naturally as possible.

"Hello Mother."

"Oh dear… Something is wrong, isn't it?"

"Honestly Mother, how do you do that?" Artemis pinched the bridge of his nose, pondering the probability of his mother being psychic "I say two words, and you somehow manage to know that I am upset."

"It's called motherhood sweetie," Angeline laughed "It doesn't take much. Now, to use a modern colloquialism, spill it."

The young man laughed, eyes closed, he prepared to answer his mother. "Really it is nothing, just a little trouble is all."

"Liar."

"Mother, I am perfectly fine! Truly, it is noth-" suddenly Artemis' voice choked up, and the tears threatened to fall once again. Of all the people in his life, Angeline Fowl was the only person that he couldn't lie to. Without feeling guilty at least. After he contracted Atlantis, she had forced him to have nightly talks with her before bed so that he could vent. It was their version of therapy, and it helped him get through the recovery period. Because of that, he had sobbed many a time on his mother's shoulder, and somehow he was now unable to keep his usual stoicism around her. Just her voice would pull his true feelings out from the depths of his soul. Once again he attempted to speak, but his voice came out a strangled sob "Really, I'm fine."

The silence on the other end signaled that she was waiting for him to continue, and so, he took a deep breath and told her the whole story. She didn't say word the entire time, just stayed quiet, listening to the multifaceted story. Artemis spoke of Opal, how she had kidnapped them, and how they had spent seven years wondering just what her true agenda was behind the abduction. Then, with tear stained words, he spoke about the fairy captain's betrayal of his trust. Of the mysterious child that Opal had impregnated Holly with using Artemis' DNA. And how the elf had kept his son away from him, and didn't even care enough about him to show their son a picture of his father. He confessed to how he had forced Holly to stay at his apartment with Julius for the next week, about how he lost his temper at the fairy the night before, and his fears of fatherhood. Finally, still sitting on the side of the road, the genius lay a weary head on the steering wheel. His eyes dry of tears, Artemis felt anger begin to replace the sorrow that had enveloped his heart.

"To be perfectly honest mother," he ground out "I feel like she slapped me. As if everything we had been through meant so little to her, she would not even give me the respect of telling me I had a son!"

"Indeed," his mother murmured "That was most definitely wrong. But in the spirit of honesty, I want to know when you were planning on introducing me to my grandson."

"I'm so sorry Mother" the young man winced "Name the day, and I will bring him, providing that Father is not there with the twins of course."

"Tomorrow." Angeline was quick to answer "Your father is taking the twins on a daylong outing, and I will have the house to myself. I expect to see you, my grandson, and Holly on my doorstep by ten o'clock sharp. I understand that you have been hurt tremendously my dear, and you have my utmost sympathy, but I also do not want to miss out on the miracle that has been granted us."

Artemis smiled warmly. What a perfect way to spend time with his son, and help the boy learn about his lineage. And in doing so, he will kill two birds with one stone by allowing his Mother to meet Julius. Yes, a visit to Fowl Manor was definitely in order. Nodding his head, the young man gave his consent.

"Yes Mother, that sounds like a wonderful idea."


	7. Field Trip

**I'm BAAAAAACK! Hello everyone, I understand that I was gone for a very long time, but my computer crashed taking with it all of my Documents. Downloads, and programs. Luckily I have a computer genius for a Brother-in-law. He fixed it, and I am getting used to new type of writing program. So please bear with me, I promise to try to start cranking out the chapters ASAP. Thanks!**

**A thanks to R U Doragon for all your help!**

**And no, I still do not own Artemis Fowl, or any of the characters...But one day...**

**FOWL MANOR**

Artemis stepped out of the car, smugly aware of Holly's discomfort. Waiting in the shadows, her eyes darted back and forth, searching for any danger that would threaten the safety of her son. Giving a tolerant sigh, he calmly waited by the door till she found the coast clear enough to allow Julius free reign. The boy bounced out, sapphire eyes glowing with excitement. Running up beside the mud man, the small child tenderly placed his hand in Artemis', a smile stretching mouth.

"This is the house!" he exclaimed "The one in the picture!"

Mismatched eyes gazed in wonder, his heart melting at the innocence that stood before him, the young man returned the smile.

"Indeed it is." he replied softly "This is the place where I grew up, and it is also the home of a very important person."

"Who?"

"Your Grandmother." Artemis raised his hand, and flipped open a keypad. Punching in an entry number, he continued his explanation "She has been wanting to meet you."

"You TOLD your MOTHER about him?" Holly cried "Why? She doesn't need to know!"

"Maybe in the culture of the fey you keep grandchildren a secret from their grandparents but humans, for the most part, prefer to keep the family unit intact." the mud man turned bitter eyes to rest on the fairy standing in front of him "Which includes Grandparents. Though as someone who keeps the father in the dark concerning his son, I'm sure you have no comprehension of what being a family actually means."

"How dare you!" the elf felt hot anger boil through her veins, but also a deep guilt burn through her stomach "What makes you think you know so much? I am the one who raised Julius! I am the one who held him during his nightmares! I am the one who taught him right from wrong! But I guess I couldn't expect an antisocial former criminal to comprehend any of that!"

Artemis jerked back as if he had been slapped, his eyes swimming with pain and grief. Turning away, his Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed all the scathing retorts, and hurt emotions. Forcing his face back into it's neutral expression, he pressed enter on the keypad, then opened the door and stepped inside. As he walked he murmured over his shoulder;

"At least I now know how you see me."

Holly clenched her fists, walking through the door she prepared to shout a reply back at the retreating form in front of her, but a small voice stalled her cry.

"They are fighting again." Julius sighed.

"They do that." Butler quipped, glaring at the ginger head in front if him.

The elf spun around, mismatched gaze boring into the large man towering above her.

"He started it!" she growled, acutely aware of how petulant she sounded.

"But Momma," Julius said earnestly "YOU are the one who taught that it is wrong to fight, or hold anger for long periods of time, no matter who started it. But ever since we arrived, you have been very mean to Artemis, and both of you keep hurting each other's feelings. Why can't you follow what you taught me, and just apologize?"

Tears sprang to her eyes. Stumbling back, the elf darted through the door, and sprinted down the hall. Hot trails of moisture dripped down her cheeks as she ran. Why couldn't anyone understand her feelings? Now even her own son has turned against her! Lurching towards a door that led into a darkened room, she flung herself through it, and then slammed the door shut. Her back against the cool wood, she slid down to the floor. Sun shined through the windows of the small study, and the bird singing outside was a stark contrast to the darkness that now threatened to consume her soul. Drawing her knees up to her chin, Holly wrapped her arms around her midsection as sobs wracked her huddled form.

…...

The trio walked down a hallway towards a brightly lit parlor, Julius clutching Butler's large hand, his bottom lip trembling with guilt over his words towards his mother. Sniffling, he tried his best not to give away his misery to the pair he now walked alongside, but was failing with every second that passed. The mud man, whose face he shared, finally came to a pause. Turning around, face awash with repentant grief, Artemis knelt in front of the guilt ridden child, his own eyes soft with hurt. Placing a tender hand on his shoulder, he wiped the tears from his eyes with trembling hands, then the man whispered softly to his son.

"I am so sorry Julius. It is not fair to force you to watch your mother's and my arguments. I am trying to forgive her, and stop all this nonsense that is happening between us, but she hurt me very badly, and I do not believe that I am strong enough just yet. Please forgive me."

Julius regarded his father with serious eyes, his face still streaked with the tears that had dripped down his face. Suddenly, he raised his arms, and wrapped them around the mud man's neck. Burying his face into Artemis' shoulder, Julius sobbed while the young man could only clutch the boy against him. Tears of grief mingled with those of his son's on the expensive material, while Butler looked on. Giving the two some space, the gentle giant approached the door of the parlor, and knocked.

"Come in!"

Slipping inside, the large man inclined his head in silent respect of his employer. Angeline stood, her face radiant with the joy and expectation of seeing her first grandchild. Stepping gracefully across the lush carpet, she grasped one of Butler's hands, a smile ready.

"Is he here? Tell me Butler, is He here?"

"He is in the hall with Artemis." Butler replied, then softened his tone so that the duo outside the door couldn't hear "Things have been... rocky. Holly is convinced that Artemis is being unfair concerning her decision to keep Julius a secret from him."

"And how is Arty doing?"

Butler sighed, taking off his sunglasses, he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I have never seen him take anything so hard." he replied after a brief pause "He is losing his temper at Holly so quickly, and his anger burns so hot, it is making the situation worse. That boy has held himself in a strict reign since he was a child, that he has actually caused himself to not know how to handle situations that involve severe emotional distress. This is not a problem that he can just meditate his feelings away, and face head on. I honestly do not know how to help him Angeline."

The older woman cast her eyes down to the floor, her eyes full of sympathy for her eldest son.

"I have an idea of what he is going through due to what he has already told me. I do not know how to make this better any more than you do, all we can do is be there for him."

Nodding, the Eurasian turned to go back towards the door, and check on his principle, but just as he reach for the knob, he once again addressed Angeline.

"I do have one request."

The woman raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You who never asks for anything?" she almost laughed "If it is for you, then I will most surely try to grant whatever you ask."

Butler gave another forlorn sigh.

"I am doing everything in my power to make things work on this end, but Holly has yet to realize the damage that she has done towards Artemis. As a fellow woman who has children, and understands the need to protect them, maybe you could talk to Holly. Try to understand her side, but still emphasize the need to reconcile. Her taunts towards Artemis are...cruel at best."

"That is a request easily granted." Angeline said solemnly, then suddenly her attention went directly to the door, or more accurately, the person coming through it.

He was everything that the older woman had ever imagined, ever envisioned, as what any son of Artemis would look like. A perfect miniature of his father, except for the elfin blood that ran through his veins causing him to have the pointed ears of a fairy. He was hiding slightly behind Artemis, his eyes guarded and his face closed with barely concealed anxiety. Kneeling down, the woman held outstretched arms towards the child, smiling through the tears that now streamed down her face. Julius looked up at Artemis, a question in his gaze. Giving the boy a gentle nudge, the young man directed him towards the waiting woman.

"Go ahead." He said softly "She is your Grandmother, and has been waiting to meet you for a while."

Letting go of the hand he had clung to so fiercely, the boy crept across the room, his eyes searching the face of the woman who was his Grandmother. Slowly, he stepped into her waiting arms, and allowed her to hug him tightly. Drawing back, Angeline traced his face with a gentle finger. Cupping his cheek with one hand, she gazed at him, awe written across her features.

"My God, he is beautiful." she breathed.

"I'm not beautiful!" Julius cried, his face as adorable as it was indignant "That term is contrary to my gender! Boys are not beautiful!"

Angeline felt her jaw drop as she processed the child's words. A disbelieving laugh bubbled up her throat, and past her lips.

"There is no doubt as to whom he is." she giggled "You were the same as a child!"

"I'm like him?" Julius' face lightened as hope began blossom behind his eyes, and a small smile stretched his mouth. "Really?"

"Yes." she answered "You are quite a bit like him."

The happy scene was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, but Angeline was far too taken with the little miracle in front of her to notice.

"Darling, could you please go answer the door." she said absently "I wish to spend more time with my grandson."

Artemis walked towards the door in acknowledgment of her request, a smile lighting his face at the joy he saw in his mother's features. Yes, it was most definitely the right idea to bring Julius with him to Fowl Manor. Walking quickly, the young man opened the front door, and could only gasp in surprise. Acacia, the Greek heiress whom he had been dating, a.k.a. Trouble.

"Acacia, darling." Artemis stammered "What brings you to Fowl Manor?"

The beautiful blond pouted her full lips, green eyes pinning him with a glare.

"I came because you stood me up at the party." she accused with heavily accented English "We agreed that you would propose to me then in front of my parents."

"Indeed, that was the plan, and I apologize for not going through with it." The young man attempted to soothe her rage, by placing his hands on her upper arms in a gesture of affection "I can only beg for your forgiveness."

"That is something that I will not consent to give." she spat. Shrugging off his arms, she strode inside of the Manor, leaving Artemis to panic by the door.

"I told you the way it needed to be!" she cried "And now, I am going to your mother, and telling her that the engagement is off!"

This sentence left the mud man with conflicting emotions. One was relief. He had only dated Acacia because her family fortune would be an asset to the family, and his mother was so desperate for a grandchild, it was actually affecting her health. If Acacia called off the wedding(even though they were never technically engaged) then he would not have to marry her, a woman whom he felt no attachment to whatsoever, and his mother still had Julius! But that still left the other emotion. Panic. Because the Grecian Heiress in question was heading straight for the parlor where his mother now sat with Julius! Scrambling forward his brain worked to devise a way to keep her out of said room. He could not let her see his son. Not for his image, hang his reputation, but it was for the protection of the People.

"Acacia, it seems mother is not feeling well today." He stated "Perhaps your news will only cause her to decline. Why not wait until she is feeling better?"

"Are you trying to salvage our relationship by using your mother as an excuse?" The young woman cocked one hand on a supple hip "I know that you are unreliable, a liar, and eccentric, but I never thought you to be so low."

Artemis stared aghast. How had she come to that conclusion? It didn't even make sense!

"That isn't it at all!" he spluttered "I just do not want to cause her any harm!"

"Please! If you cannot take your responsibilities like a man, then I have no use for you!" flicking aside a strand of long blond hair, she eyed him, one regal eyebrow raised. "The plan was so simple that even an idiot like you could understand it. We get married, we join accounts, both families profit, and I even let you sleep with me in hopes that you get a son to carry on the Fowl name. In return I get as many vacations as I want, no questions asked, and I can sleep with any other man as I wish."

"And what about love, or family?" Artemis asked quietly.

"Love?" Acacia burst into laughter "What on earth would possess me to love you? Be lucky that I even consider you suitable for my needs. If it wasn't for the fact that your house is owner to one of the biggest family fortunes in the world, and you are the only son out of any of them that is near my age, I would have bypassed you from the start."

Something snapped inside Artemis, something that he had been holding in check for a long time. He had always known about her ego, her cruelty, and he had pushed those things away. Justifying it as merely another duty he had to fulfill as the eldest son. But after meeting Julius, learning the truth about what happened to him all those years ago, Artemis had to acknowledge that a definite change had taken place. A sarcastic grin split his face, and the young man who had conducted himself to be so normal, so boring, around this girl finally let his true colors show.

"Fascinating." He chuckled "I was just about to say the same thing about you."

Green eyes widened as her mouth fell open in shock.

"What?"

"You see my dear, I have never considered you more than a familial duty. A pest to be tolerated whilst taking care of my responsibilities. But to be perfectly honest, you have become more of a liability, and I cannot allow a specimen of womanhood as pathetic as you into our family tree. My lineage is too noble and refined for one of your ilk. So please draw our relationship to a close, if anything, I am relieved to be rid of you."

Granting her his most sinister vampire smile, the young man gestured towards the parlor.

"Do you still wish to speak to my ailing mother, or shall I send her your regards?"

Her face still swimming with shock at the sudden change, the woman stumbled away, and out the door. Right before heading out, she paused long enough to shout down the hallway.

"Artemis! You will regret this! You have no hope of ever getting anyone even half as perfect as I am, and do not even think that I will ever answer you if you even try to call me! You will regret everything you ever could have had, but without me, your life ends here!"

As he watched her leave, a slow but genuine smile split his face. No, his life was just beginning. And it looked better all the time.

** Please REVIEW! Thanks so much for your patience! See you next chapter when Angeline faces off with Holly!**


	8. THE talk

**Hello Everyone! Thank you for being patient! Once again, I do not own any of the characters that I choose to use in this fan fiction.**

Butler walked out of the parlor, leaving Angeline on the couch with a worried looking Julius in her arms. Stepping into the hallway, the large man found Artemis standing with his back to the wall, arms folded, shoulders slumped. Looking closely, the Eurasian could see the mark that the years had left on the youth. His eyes stared out into nothing, and his face was drawn, exhaustion etched into every line. Walking up, he placed a comforting hand on his principle's shoulder.

"It was for the best," he rumbled. "That woman wasn't nearly good enough for you in the first place."

Artemis gave a short laugh, life sparking back into the gaze now dull with fatigue. "I understand that, and have known it from the start," he whispered. "It is rather ironic that her name translated from Greek means 'Thorny', but all the drama over the past few days is getting fatiguing..."

Unconsciously, his eyes slipped shut, and the young man tumbled to the floor. Butler reached out, and grabbed him, his heart tightening with worry. He had known that Artemis was not sleeping well for the past month, and now with the situation that had arisen with Holly, he was sure that his employer had not slept for almost three days. He had no doubt in his mind that Artemis had pushed himself to his physical limits due to worry over Opal, Holly, and most of all, Julius. The gentle giant wrapped one of his employer's arms around his neck, and picked him up off the floor. As he stood, a small groan alerted him that Artemis had not succumbed completely. Holding him by the waist, Butler carried his tired principle into the parlor.

Angeline stood, and hurried to her son's side, face taut with worry. "What happened?"

"Don't worry Angeline," Butler grunted as he gently placed Artemis onto a couch "Stress, and lack of sleep seems to have finally caught up to him."

As Butler stretched the youth out on the cushions, the older woman rushed to the sink near the bar, and wet a washcloth with cold water. Wringing it out, she stepped back over to Artemis, and placed the damp cloth over his forehead. Julius stood close by, his brow furrowed with worry. Tugging gently on the edge of his grandmother's blouse, the small boy cast wide eyes onto the strained form of the man said to be his father.

"Is he going to be alright?" the child asked quietly.

"Of course sweetie!" Angeline exclaimed, putting her face into a more positive light. "He is just very tired, and hasn't been getting enough sleep!"

"Where is my mom?"

The woman glanced up at Butler, her eyes repeating the question. The large man shrugged, and jerked a thumb towards the door.

"Last I saw, she had run into the house after another one of their spats when we first arrived. She's probably locked herself away in a room somewhere."

Angeline gave a firm nod, and then turned back to her grandson. Ruffling his hair fondly, the woman gently told him that she would be right back, then left the room. She knew that she had not heard anyone go up the stairs when they first arrived, so it would make sense that Holly was still on the first floor.

Head held high, the woman meandered down the hall, her mind working out the clues she had been given that would help her deduce Holly's hiding place. If Holly had run into the house in a highly emotional state, then it only stood to reason that the girl would not be overly picky, and would have chosen the closest empty room that she could find. That being said, she had visited the Manor enough to know which room is where. Angeline turned left at a dead end, and stopped at the first door on the right. Closing her eyes, she gently placed an ear against the wood. Sure enough, she heard sniffles coming from inside.

Taking a breath, the older woman opened the door, and slipped inside. The room, a small study that was set aside for the twins and their schoolwork, was lit only by the sun streaming through the windows. At one of the desks, the elf perched on one of the black leather chairs, her eyes staring sullenly ahead. Peering at the girl, Angeline could see the red rimmed eyes, and the trembling chin.

Turning her head away from the older woman, Holly felt a surge of bitterness well up in her chest.

"Are you here to yell at me too?"

"Maybe," Angeline said in a matter of fact tone. "It depends on what I hear."

Rolling Becket's leather chair over from the other desk, the woman sat next to the elf, placing a comforting hand on her back. "Sweetie, I need to know your side. I need to know why you felt it was so necessary to lie to Artemis all these years and break his heart."

"What heart?" Holly spat. "Ever since we met, he has lied to me, used me, manipulated me, and now I'M the bad guy? I was only trying to protect my son!"

Angeline bit back the angry comments that were creeping up her throat, and instead reminded herself that she needed to be unbiased. Taking another deep breath, the woman calmed herself and continued.

"Holly," she said gently, "I am perfectly aware of my son's faults. And I know the sins that he has committed against his friends, and his family. He has lied to me as well. But I need you to think, and think hard, of all the good he has done..."

"I know what you're going to say!" the elf interrupted. "I am the one who wrote that speech. For years I have defended him! I don't need you to throw my words back into my face!"

Angeline gritted her teeth, and barreled on, hoping to crack the ice that now enveloped the grieving fairy. "Please try to understand. I know that you are a mother, and you are doing what any mother would, and that is doing everything in your power to protect Julius. But can you not see the damage that you have done by not telling Artemis about his son? Do you really think that Artemis wouldn't want to be a part of his life?"

"NO!" Holly sprang to her feet, eyes burning with rage, and swimming with sorrow. "YOU try and understand! I'm tired of being painted as the villain!" she shouted. "I kept Julius safe from my people, MY people, because they treated him like a freak! He went through more than you can ever imagine in his life! Everyone in Haven knows whose son he is, and we've even been kicked out of restaurants because of Julius's sire! And as if that isn't enough, his father is also a wanted CRIMINAL! A petty, antisocial, thief who would rather have the thrill of a bank heist than enjoy the company of friends! Who manipulates people without a second thought about their feelings! I didn't want Julius to be involved with someone as low and cruel as him, I-!"

Holly's rant was interrupted by a forceful slap across the face. Her head hanging slightly to the side, she stared in shock at the woman who now stood above her, pain etched into her face, tears dancing on the corners of her eyes.

"How can you say such horrible things?" she asked, pain and anger etched into her features. "After all that you have been through, all that you have fought side by side, how can you allow such poison to infest your heart, and destroy the strong friendship you held with my son? The one you have been maintaining, despite this lie, for the past seven years? You are not the only one hurting. What about me? I have just been told that I have a seven year old grandson whom I have never even had the decency of being told about, much less given a picture! I understand that Julius and you have been through a lot, but what about Artemis? He had a son, and you never told him! He feels betrayed! You kept the single most important moments of Julius's life, and you ripped them away from him! Does your friendship mean so little that you can betray him so easily?"

Lower lip trembling, Holly cast guilt ridden eyes down to the floor. "It's true that once we were good friends, but I can't deny how many times I have been hurt by him, and I can't deny the many problems he's created for me!"

"It didn't matter to you seven years ago," Angeline stated softly. "Why on earth should it matter now? After everything you have been through together?"

"Because it's all his fault!" Holly collapsed weeping into her chair, ginger hair sweeping from her shoulders to around her face "If he hadn't done half of the stupid schemes he thought up in his twisted mind, if he hadn't gotten himself mixed up in magic, then Opal would never have ruined our lives like this."

"Do you regret having Julius?"

"What? No!" Shock etched itself into Holly's features. Her arms were out, open and pleading, "I would never regret having Julius! NEVER!"

"Then why do you feel like your life was ruined?"

The elf began to tremble, then to shake. Once again she fell into the chair, realization dawning on her features. "It was because I had to lie to Artemis. Because I didn't trust him enough to be a good father figure when I needed him most, and for years I lied to him. And now, now I have no idea how to make amends."

Angeline gave a relieved sigh at the confession, then knelt before the fairy. Wrapping her arms around Holly's trembling frame, she pulled her into a tight hug. "You can still make amends. Artemis wants to forgive you, but Holly, you need to apologize."

"He won't listen to me!" The elf sobbed. "I have tried, and he just won't hear a word I say!"

"He will, I will make sure of it." Standing up, the woman pulled Holly off the chair, and to her feet. "But first we have to get you two to talk it out without screaming your heads off."

Slowly, they walked out of the room, and into the hallway. Each footstep taking the elf closer to the inevitable talk that would either end her suffering, or cause yet another blow up. She hoped for a true reconciliation. Looking up at the woman who raised the genius that had changed her life so drastically, Holly felt such awe and respect for her strength. Wringing her hands while they walked, the fairy spoke quietly to the graceful lady beside her.

"Thank you, for the talk. And also…for the slap." Holly gave Angeline a weak smile "I guess I needed it."

"Oh there is no doubt about that!" The older woman laughed. "I am just happy that you finally understand the need for a reconciliation, and most of all, an apology."

"I do." The elf cast her eyes back to the hallway. "So where is Artemis?"

"He is in the parlor. Hopefully he has woken up."

Holly raised an eyebrow at the woman.

"Did he fall asleep?"

"Actually he fainted." Angeline stated casually. "Apparently he hasn't been sleeping for the past three days, and the stress finally got to him."

Another bolt of guilt shot through Holly as she began to see past the fog of her own selfishness, and understand the pain that she had put Artemis through. Clenching her fist, she squeezed her eyes shut to ward off the tears that threatened to fall. She had done enough crying. It was time to stop wallowing in self-pity and make things right, for Julius's sake.

Stepping into the parlor, the elf saw Julius tucked into Butler's side, listening to the large man read aloud 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. His face was open with wonder as the words flowed over him in the bodyguard's deep baritone, no doubt imagining every detail in his mind. The Eurasian paused as Holly entered the room, discomfort in every step; but instead of the usual venomous glare he had been giving the past few days, he graced her with a welcoming smile, one that she had never known till that moment just how much she missed. Answering with a weak smile of her own, the fairy sat on the couch next to her son, and drew him into a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry sweetie," she whispered.

"Is everything ok now?" Julius murmured, eyes shining with unshed tears. "You aren't mad anymore?"

"No, I'm not mad anymore." Letting out a deep sigh, Holly drew away, and looked Julius in the eye. "It's time that I take care of things, and stop running away. I need you to go with Butler, and play with him for a little while, ok? I need to have a serious talk with Artemis, and Ang- your grandmother."

Out of her peripheral vision, Holly saw Artemis twitch slightly at her correction. Hopefully he knew that she was ready to have a real conversation with him. One that wouldn't end in a screaming match. Hopefully this time he would accept her apology. Julius nodded, the serious and grown up look on his face almost too much for Holly to bear. Solemnly, she watched him leave hand in hand with Butler.

Turning to face Angeline, Holly took a deep breath, before saying, "I'm ready to deal with the problem."

"Good." Turning to face the other couch, the older woman cleared her throat, an amused smile on her face. "You can stop pretending to be asleep Arty. It didn't work when you were a child, and your skills at fooling me have not improved."

With a sigh, the pale youth propped himself up on his arms before slowly bringing himself into a sitting position. Seeing him more clearly than she had since the fiasco began, Holly could see the worry lines mixed in with the exhaustion clearly written on his face. As he swung his legs down onto the floor, he kneaded his temples with slender fingertips, his breath going in and out in what the elf assumed was a form of meditation to calm his nerves.

"Right," Artemis murmured, finally sitting up and looking the two women in the eye. "So where shall we begin?"

The fairy looked at Angeline, watching for some clue as to how they were going to get this party started. The woman merely smirked and pretended not to see, her nose firmly planted in the abandoned book. Wilting, Holly knew that the only thing to do was to say what she knew needed to be said.

Taking another deep breath, the elf said very quietly, "I wanted to apologize."

"For what?" Artemis's face was stony, his gaze hard and distrustful, which only made it harder for Holly.

Count on the most infuriating man she ever met to make her explain just why she was such a horrible person.

"For lying to you," Holly said. "For not telling you the most important clue about why we were kidnapped."

Artemis sighed, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. A condescending attitude would not make this conversation any easier.

"I'm not quite sure you understand why I feel betrayed Holly."

The elf opened her mouth to shoot back a reply, but a small cough to her right stalled any response. Instead she merely nodded for Artemis to continue, and allowed him to share his side of the story.

The mud man paused, tapping his thumbs together as he tried to think of a way to articulate the sheer amount of agony that his trusted friend had inflicted on him.

"You see..." he began, voice hesitant "It isn't so much that you lied to me, nor is it about Opal. I trust you to take care of Julius, and if Opal tried anything, I know you would have come for my help. It is the fact that you never included me in Julius's life that hurts. You never told him about our adventures, or about the countless times we survived merely because we worked together in desperate situations, or even my name."

Swallowing down his discomfort, the young man continued, despite the cracking of his voice, and composure. Burying his face in his hands so he wouldn't have to look at the source of all his pain, Artemis spoke his true feelings.

"Look, I _know_ the horrible things that I have done. The lies, the schemes, the sheer amount of times that I hurt you for my own benefit. I understand that I am not father material, for anyone. But the fact-" a choked sob interrupted his confession, causing him to pause. Clearing his throat, he struggled to continue. "The fact that you didn't even allow me to try and see if I could be, is what hurts the most. I am terrified of fatherhood. My worst nightmare is becoming like my father where a criminal empire is more important to me than my own child. But you didn't even trust me enough to give me the chance to be a father to Julius. To see if I could disprove my fate, and be a caring paternal figure in his life. _So __many __moments_ I have missed. I wish that I could know him the way you do. To have memories of all his firsts. To see him not just as a little boy with a stunning intellect, but as my _son. _You took that away from me. Like I was only the guy to help save the world, but when it really came down to it, I meant nothing to you. That is my agony. If you had only allowed me to have talked to him, or at least have let him have seen a picture of his other family! This would not hurt so much. But you literally erased me from existence in the cruelest way imaginable."

Holly sat in dumbfounded silence. The boy whom she had respected, and even loved, had grown into a man, and now sat across from her grieving from a terrible wrong that she had wrought with her own hands. By now, tears were dripping between the fingers covering his face, and his mouth was a grim slash of tortured sorrow. His teeth were clenched, and Holly could only imagine the amount of disgust and shame he was feeling towards himself for being so weak.

Slowly standing, the fairy crept cautiously across the room, and came to a stop in front of the man. Wrapping her arms around his head, she felt tears of her own fall into the raven black hair that had haunted her dreams for over a decade.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "I thought it was the right decision, and I was so scared, I had no idea how much it would hurt you. Please, please forgive me!"

A few moments passed before Artemis finally lowered his hands to reveal a tear stained face. Two pairs of mismatched eyes stared into each other's soul, and neither were capable of speaking for the emotions that were crashing around within them. Gently, the young man grasped one of Holly's hands that were cupping his face. Grasping it tightly between both hands, he leaned his forehead against her fingers, eyes closed.

"I want to be a part of his life Holly," his voice rasped, thick with emotion. "I know that I have left you with bad memories, and an even worse image of my character. But I want to try! I want to try and be a father to him."

With her free hand, the elf lovingly swept a piece of hair away from his forehead, and forced him to raise his face to hers. Smiling through her tears, heart singing with joy that she no longer had to lie to her best friend, she replied simply, "I would like that too."


End file.
